The invention relates to a system for metered feeding of cylindrical bodies from a stock to a processing machine, comprising a device for holding said stock; a device for aligning the cylindrical bodies coming from the stock; a device for metered feeding of the cylindrical bodies to a transfer device; and a transfer device to move the cylindrical bodies to the processing machine. A system of this type can in general be employed in all those cases where cylindrical bodies from a bulk stock have to be fed to processing machines in an aligned and metered manner.
A system of this type is generally known in the prior art. In that case, the device for aligning the cylindrical bodies coming from the stock comprises shaking and vibrating devices. Using such shaking and vibrating devices has various drawbacks. Firstly, the cylindrical bodies are damaged and, more importantly, the material removed from the cylindrical bodies will in part be converted into dust. Although dust is not harmful to this system, a system of this type will often be used in circumstances where a clean environment is an absolute requirement for other equipment. Thus, a system of this type is used in particular for encapsulating chips arranged in a lead frame. When encapsulating in such a manner, it is essential that no dust be present, because this may impair the functioning of the subsequently obtained encased chip or may partly remove the protection thereof.